


Promise

by Meg97



Series: Kingdom Hearts Drabble Prompts. [7]
Category: Kingdom Hearts
Genre: F/M, M/M, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-20
Updated: 2016-07-20
Packaged: 2018-07-25 16:22:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,475
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7539559
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Meg97/pseuds/Meg97
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“We all promise, right?”</p><p>“Promise.”</p>
            </blockquote>





	Promise

It’s late.

There’s no possible way to tell time in this place, not with the entryway blocked off by a barrier of Dark Magic; though Riku’s well able to tell that night had fallen a long time ago and, maybe, if he moved from the cavern to the outside, he’d be able to see the stars clearly in the sky.  
However, on as cold and crispy a mountain as this is; going outside was probably only going to give him a severe case of pneumonia, if nothing else.

“Hey.”

Kairi’s voice disrupts him from his thoughts, and teal hues are quick to snap back from the entryway of the cave, here in the Land of Dragons, to her; she’d been asleep up until that point, much like Sora still was, candles illuminating their faces a bright orange, making stars twinkle in their eyes.  
That was probably the closest he’d get -- but it was the best he could ever ask for.

She looks tired, is all he can think, bags under her eyes and the flicker of candle light doing nothing to help her hide it - if anything, it accentuates and highlights it all the more, just--- making her look old, if anything. Older than him, almost, though he’s sure she’s able to see the exact same thing reflected in his eyes.

“Hey.”

His voice is a bit croaky, if only because they’re low on supplies and he’s trying not to hog all of the water in their little containers, cold in a way that they didn’t really need on an ice-capped mountain. If anything, the Dark Barrier was not only getting rid of the sound of howling wind, but also the icy frost that came with it. That did, however, allow an echo of Sora’s quiet snores and any possible talking to be loud and crystal clear.

“Couldn’t sleep?”

Her hair, a dark crimson, doesn’t even look that disturbed in terms of bed-head; if anything, it’s almost as tidy as if she’d just brushed it, like it always did, even if she’d been through a storm and back. It was his turn to keep watch on all three of them while the other two tried to rest, but it looked like they’d be sharing that duty while Sora dozed away, for now.  
She offered him a small shrug of her shoulders, a quiet exhale through pink lips, and cobalt hues wandered from his face to the surrounding cave;  
It was bigger than he’d thought, and he’d been here once before -- had fought Sora, actually, and had hated every moment of it.  
She didn’t know that -- at least, he didn’t think so; it was hard to keep track of what Sora had and hadn’t told her.

“A little.... it’s not exactly easy, knowing a War’s on the way.”

Ah, well, he knew what that felt like -- being honest, even when he did sleep, he was haunted by nightmares that, unfortunately, he could no longer fight off; they taunted and teased him, giving him vivid visions of Sora, of Kairi, of crimson that wasn’t her hair and eyes that looked so lifeless it hurt--

It made him appreciate the stars in their eyes all the more so.

He gave a small sound to show he understood and related, shifted a little so they could share the blanket he’d draped around their shoulders about five hours ago - she’d slept like a log, much like Sora, for a while, but was bound to wake up eventually -- the sun wouldn’t be on the horizon for at least another hour.

His lips twitch, all in good humour, if only to be able to lighten the situation -- one of his arms shifts to curl around her waist, drag her a little bit closer, and no doubt if Sora was actually awake he’d be squirming himself into the middle of them both, trying to bask in what time they had left together before the end.   
This relationship stuff was hard -- but they’d all mutually agreed that, until this was all over, the majority of it could wait.  
They’d be able to bask in all of the affection they wanted afterwards.  
..... Even though Riku had been the one to put his foot down on it -- he couldn’t afford hurting them both, not again -- it was hurting more than he’d wanted or expected;   
Teal hues drifted from her face, the gorgeous portrait of her the light offered, to the brunet still silently napping away; curled up in another of their blankets, twisting and turning with arms splayed everywhere ( and they weren’t even surprised, not anymore; Sora couldn’t stay still, even in his sleep ) and Riku’s lips twitch again;

“I think Sora will do all the sleeping for us.”

Honestly, he slept like a log, and he’d do so for eternity if he could; Riku didn’t doubt that, and he knew Kairi didn’t, either. Part of it, he supposed, might’ve been the whole fact he’d harboured Ventus’ heart for thirteen years, but they’d found him and Master Aqua a few weeks ago. The other two had been sent together, searching for Terra, while he, Kairi and Sora had been sent on more missions of patrol.  
Better three than one, King Mickey had wagered and, giving Riku a smile, the silver-haired youth had gotten the sense that he just--- knew.  
That they’d all want to be together, now until the end.  
He looked ancient; Riku couldn’t help but think that back then.

Kairi’s smile, a tinkle of a laugh, drags him back to reality again, her face and strands of hair tickling the curve of his neck against his shoulder, hot breath making his skin tickle; though he’s hardly one to complain - though he hadn’t been one for intimacy before, he knew if he didn’t get it now, he’d regret it later; though giving it back was proving to be a bit more difficult.

And then the conversation changes; and it almost feels like his Dark Barrier has dropped, what with the cold shiver down his spine.

“It’s almost over----- isn’t it?”

Sora’s breathing and snoring slows, quietens -- almost as if the tension in their conversation is able to cut through his dreams.

She almost sounds desperate, he thinks, like she wants to cry - but she’s one of the strongest women he knows, if not the strongest, and he’d do everything in his power to not let her cry.  
Heck, she would, too -- and Sora, no doubt, would practically be first in line.

His grip on her tightens, eyes falling down to look at her, how her face is buried against his neck and he wondered if her question had been his imagination, with how muffled it should’ve been but how it wasn’t -- perhaps they just knew each other that well -- and his expression, normally stoic, calm, neutral, fell.  
The mask broke, if only slightly -- a chip, that only she or Sora could cause.

Riku pauses, doesn’t stutter so much as his breath hitches, quiet, almost silent; his heart cracks, if just a little, because he hates lying to her, he’s always hated it. And, unfortunately, he’s not as hard and strong as steel to them as he is to everyone else; no, to them, he might as well be transparent; a book as easy to read as the brunet of their trio.

“We’ll be okay.”

It’s not him who speaks, though he’d just been about to -- and both teal and cobalt hues drifted over to the brunet, sitting rather than sleeping, wiping crusts of exhaustion from his eyes.  
Even fully rested, he looks exhausted -- they all do, with heavy shoulders and heavy hearts, far aged beyond anyone else their age. 

Even with how tired he looks, Sora’s quick to squirm between them two of them as Riku had expected he would, though they’re more than happy to accommodate; the blanket between the three of them is a bit of a stretch, but there’s more body warmth to spread around instead.  
Sora’s always been cheerful, enthusiastic, and even though he should know well by now that both Riku and Kairi can see when he’s sad, putting on an act, he tries anyway.

That being said -- perhaps the two of them depend on that positivity, in order to fuel themselves, in turn.

Riku gives a small laugh, a ghost of one at least, expression softening as it always did around both of them, especially in times like this, and Kairi gave another giggle - having it all echo in the cave made it a bit more real, somehow, allowed them to cherish it.

“Yeah,”

It’s a small whisper, falling from pale lips, almost as if Riku spoke it any louder it would shatter, break, along with a lot of other things they’d seen; they had to be strong, together - they’d be fine,

“We will.”

“We all promise, right?”

“Promise.”


End file.
